I need to write a video BIOS for the Graphics Gremlin in order to support Tandy and PCjr video modes.
so what's the problem? I don't know x86 assembly language.
so I figured I'd stop by the FOPAL (friends of the Palo Alto library) bookstore here at VCF. maybe find a book on assembly programming for the PC.
this one looked good, so I bought it. they had another one but it had a picture of Peter Norton on the cover and I didn't want to look at his face, silently judging me...
while I was buying it I mentioned what I was trying to do, and the gentleman running the booth mentioned "oh you might like these books too" and motioned towards....(wait for it)
these books, which tell you how to write a BIOS in C! 😂
if this were a Facebook ad I'd be complaining about microtargeting and spying on my phone microphone, but no
even comes with source code on 5 1/4" diskettes
yup here's the video BIOS section. 😂
all right you jackals. here's what the Peter Norton book looks like. hope you're happy 😂
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i printed a new panel insert that has two BNC sockets on it (the original probes would have had captive cables)
the tricky part is that this oscilloscope has a 333K ohm input impedance instead of 1M like umm every other scope on the planet. fortunately someone designed a little conversion circuit...
in honor of Sim Wong Hoo, here's a quick historical review of the Sound Blaster! 🧵
but first we have to go back to their first sound card, the Creative Music System from 1987. (image credit: Bratgoul on Wikipedia)
this card has some special "CMS-301" chips. if you peel back the sticker, they have had their top marks removed. they're actually SAA1099 synthesizer chips made by Philips. Creative wrote music composition software for musicians on the PC.